A Privileged View
by Oldmovie
Summary: House and Cuddy talk on the rooftop, both are hiding but from what? Set after Finding Judas.


A Privileged View

**I would just like to explain something before the story starts, its a little one shot I did while bored home sick Lol. Its set right after Finding Judas.**

Cuddy stood on the roof overlooking the hospital entrance. Her eyes followed the hustle and bustle of "rush hour" for the hospital as everyone was making their break for freedom and heading home. There went Dr. Marts going back to his twin boys, and Dr. Foreman surely making his way home to a magazine on the coffee table, Cuddy could just make out Shirley the nurse from pediatrics having a little trouble wiping the snow off of the wind-screen of her car. Cuddy sighed, leaning forward so that now her elbows rested comfortably on the ledge and put her head in her hands. She wasn't really sure what she was doing up here, this wasn't exactly a normal place for her to procrastinate but she had often heard Wilson talking about House's emotional hiding place and she thought she would give it a try. To be honest she didn't put stock in ideas of your "special place" or your safety blanket or anything in which an object or a place in this case, could actually make you feel better. So far her theory was proven correct. She sighed again, only this time much harsher, she knew deep down that she had come to the roof because today had been different, but she preferred deluding herself into thinking that this happened to just be a whim. Pushing the thoughts from her mind, she closed her eyes gently and for a second allowed the breeze to blow gently across her face. Her moment of calm was soon interrupted as the door to the roof opened. She turned around instinctively and sucked in her breath sharply when she saw House limping out of the door, obviously not aware of her presence yet as he was watching his cane pound along the cement. As if he could feel her stare he looked up and even she could see surprise written on his features but it only took a second for him to recover and put up his wall again.

"Interesting place to hide," House stated, staying firmly put in his place.

"I'm not hiding," she muttered uncomfortable and slowly began making her way to the exit.

"You never come up here," House replied, purposely stepping in her way, "This is my hiding spot."

Cuddy grew annoyed at his side step, "My hospital," she replied and tried to step around him and make her escape.

"Still doesn't explain why you're up here, you have an office to hide in, with a lock." House said again moving into a position that she would actually have to push him out of the way to make it to the door. She threw up her hands frustrated and walked back over to the ledge she had been leaning on before.

"So do you," she muttered, "interesting view you get up here," Cuddy pointed out, changing the subject, not in the mood to be put under House's radar.

"Responses and actions are interesting, watching people get into their cars isn't," House said deciding to give her a break, he leaned his cane against the wall.

"People don't even realize you're watching them," Cuddy stated ignoring House, "Their guard's down and although what they're doing is mundane and ordinary, it's interesting."

House turned his head, now more interested in what she was saying rather than pushing her with his questions. "Who cares whether Chase drives a corvette or not? "

"Chase drives a ford." She replied, House looked at her amazed.

"Let me guess hot sex in the back of the Ford?"

"When you have actual conversations with people House, you tend to find out things about them." She replied.

"I find out things about people and I get to escape the social niceties."

"You thought Chase had a corvette." She countered without looking at him. House could sense her rigidness and this sort of coldness of her tone toward him. He frowned; she wasn't going to forget anytime soon.

"I know personal goodies about you and that was through being an ass." House responded, turning so that he rested his side against the ledge so he could watch her reactions better.

"By default," she stated swiftly.

"Doesn't matter," House pointed out, "I still know your hopes and dreams Dr. Cuddy."

"It was easier than having you spread gossip around the hospital," she muttered.

"You think I'd actually take that much interest in your personal affairs to be bothered to do that?"

"Yes."

"Probably right." A silence fell between the two, they both knew where the conversation was leading but neither one of them really wanted to take the first step, it was safer here bantering, and to go further would be entering no man's land.

"Why are _you_ hiding?" Cuddy asked, still watching the mass of people exiting the hospital.

"Which answer sounds more like me, to avoid clinic duty or to escape some emotional trauma?" He asked jokingly.

"Both do," she said dead serious, he was a little taken back by her comment and stared at her for a second before responding.

"Guilt." This got her to finally look at him with puzzled eyes.

"Guilt?"

"Am I not allowed to wallow in my own self pity?" House asked mockingly the whole concept.

"Kind of cover that on a daily basis, don't you think?" Cuddy replied and turned around to walk away, tired of the conversation but she was stopped by House's voice.

"You're not curious?"

Cuddy shook her head and was about to continue walking when he spoke up again.

"You brought it up Cuddy, now you suddenly don't care?"

She turned around, "Like you're going to tell me the truth."

"Maybe, maybe not. You're not interested in waiting to see if I do?"

"I'm tired of playing games House, if you want to tell me something, say it. If not I have a lot of work to do."

"Right that's why you were up here, hiding."

"I wasn't hiding," her voice rose a little but she kept it in check.

"You shouldn't feel guilty about the patient."

"Almost maiming a girl, doesn't that earn the right for guilt?" She asked an eyebrow raised.

"Chase caught it, nothing happened, no reason to feel guilty." House finished it was now his turn to watch the people down below.

"Is that how you're going to view this, as a lucky break?" Cuddy asked.

"I hired Chase because he's smart, not because of some damn four leaf clover."

"Fine," she muttered and turned back around and continued walking.

"You have my pills?" He asked quietly.

Cuddy sighed and let her hands fall down to her hips, "I can write you a script when I get back down to my office," she told him, not facing his direction.

There was a silence and for some reason Cuddy didn't take that as an opportunity to leave, she felt that House had something he wanted to say and that was holding her back.

"Talked to Wilson," House muttered.

Cuddy didn't let out the air she had taken in, she felt her cheeks grow hot and was thankful she had her back to him.

"Thanks for sharing," she replied, she regretted not taking the chance to escape when she could have and walked up to the door.

"You were hiding from me."

Cuddy sighed and rested her forehead against the door. "Great place to hide if I was avoiding you."

"Perfect place to hide if I wasn't going to come up here," House said picking up his cane and limping toward her.

"But you did." Cuddy replied, "For guilt," she said the last part as though she didn't believe it.

"Yeah," House said simply standing behind her.

"What the hell do you feel guilty about House?" She asked her voice straining a little because he was a little too close.

When House didn't answer she turned around to look at him, surprised at the lack of a sarcastic comment.

They looked at each other for a moment and then before she could register what was happening House had come around her, opened the door of the exit and left her standing alone on the rooftop. She closed the door slowly behind him, letting out a long breath. She turned around and slid down the door so that she was sitting on the floor, leaning her back against it. She ran her fingers through her hair, trying to make sense of what had happened. Had House apologized for what he had said to her? She looked up and noticed the ledge they had been leaning on and smiled in spite of herself, she wondered what had become of the safety blanket she used to have.


End file.
